Kayli Pascal-Martinez is the first recipient of KITV4’s Robert Kekaula Fellowship. Kayli was selected in the Fall of 2022 for this prestigious opportunity out of a broad pool of young applicants who are from Hawaii or currently living in Hawaii. She currently attends University of Hawaii - West Oahu where she is a junior studying Communications and New Media Technologies.
HONOLULU (KITV4) – The signs and ropes are being taken down at Kaimana Beach after a Hawaiian monk seal pup moves to another home.
Pualani, the pup, and her mother had been on the beach since she was born on April 14 and the space they had taken was roped off for their safety. In addition to the wide cordon, officers with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) provided around-the-clock safety and enforcements for the seals and beachgoers.
Courtesy NOAA Fisheries
Pualani is the fourth pup that was born on Kaimana Beach since 2017! The possibility of future births and pre-weaning periods are expected and the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) team will do a 24-hour over watch in those circumstance.
Pualani was released in an undisclosed location on Oahu that is more remote for her. NOAA transported her to the location as well as putting flipper tags and a temporary satellite tag on her so that they could monitor her at the remote location. Pualani also received a vaccination to protect her from any infection in the future. She is ready to cruise in a different area of the island!
Being able to see Hawaiian monk seals on the island is a special experience and everyone should remember to give these animals the space they need. People should stay at least 50 feet for individual monk seals and 150 feet from monk seal mothers and their pups.
See and seals near you? Report it to 1-888-256-9840.
Kayli Pascal-Martinez is the first recipient of KITV4’s Robert Kekaula Fellowship. Kayli was selected in the Fall of 2022 for this prestigious opportunity out of a broad pool of young applicants who are from Hawaii or currently living in Hawaii. She currently attends University of Hawaii - West Oahu where she is a junior studying Communications and New Media Technologies.
